Entries by City On A Hill
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Education For Sale Because Who Controls The Children Can Control A Nation

Sad to see the state of affairs in America today. There is a weeping going on across America today, reminder of when Rachel wept for the Jewish babies being slaughtered by a power hungry leader who did not want to give up his throne. Wonder if today's leaders remember the demise of such a person?

America is going through a cleansing--having to choose between love for children and love for money/power. For those fighting against Common Core, the truth is so stark when you hear the awesome, fact-filled and incredible presentation of Dr. Duke Pesta. We have other speakers all around the country, and they like Dr. Pesta are sounding the alarm and daring the other side to discount the truth. They tried by using a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, to present the case for the wonderful Common Core as was seen in Alabama's Al.com article.

Too bad she hadn't seen this video of David Coleman, author of CC, saying "Teachers will teach to the test-no force strong on earth to prevent"...here's video so you can see and hear it for yourself (hope someone will share it with her):

And here is the link to a complete presentation that in minutes will take your breath away as it confronts the problem in your state with the leadership--please share:

Here's a teacher who wants all to know the truth and fight for the children--thanks to our wonderful patriot--Becky Gerritson for giving true educators a way to express their heartbreak for the breaking of children going on...

Many states are trying to get out--there is a Stop Common Core on fb for your state--look it up and join them and learn then act and like George Washington and the Founding Fathers be sure to bend your knees and bow your head and ask God for miracles. He is able and He is soo needed. If you love your child it is time to act.

In Alabama there is a bill brought forth called SB101 and it is wonderful.

Here are suggestions for action:

Save these links please and share with all who care for children.

Please be sure to send emails and tweet to the Education Committees in both Senate and House--here are Alabama Representatives Twitter handles ( https://archive-it.org/collections/3683)--please send emails, tweet and these videos to your Representatives and Senators...and to both Senate and House Education Committee members (when sending email letter of your problem with CC please forward a copy to Alabamaeagle@gmail.com to make sure someone knows you sent one--It probably helps to send it to 2 or three legislators at a time--so they all see each other is getting your letter (they won't be able to deny you a citizen shared your concern--we need lots sent before March 18th please!!

Here's a letter from Alabama Eagle Forum--Eunie Smith--please act as now is the time!

FROM EAGLE FORUM OF ALABAMA

Dear Friend,

If we are to stop the distress, the dumbing down, and the indoctrination of all our children through common core; if we are to restore state control over education policy in Alabama; if we are to replace common core with the best of the best standards in the nation that reflect Alabama values, YOU will have to act NOW!!! And ask all your like-minded friends to do the same. We need an avalanche of emails to the legislature.

Sen. Rusty Glover (R) has introduced SB101 . It will re-establish local and state control of education; terminate implementation of the Common Core standards; direct the State Board to replace these standards with the Math and English courses in use immediately prior to Common Core; convene Course of Study committees to update these standards and improve upon them using the pre-common core standards from states whose national scores ranked no less than the top 10%; implement these proven, improved standards and aligned assessments; prohibit imposition on Alabama of other such national standards or assessments that cede control away from Alabamians.

1. Call or email these Senators and thank them for co-sponsoring SB101 and let them know if you are their constituent. Glover, Reed, Melson, Allen, Brewbaker, Hightower, Albritton, Bussman, Stutts, Smith, Shelnutt, Sanford. Tell them briefly why your family wants common core replaced.

2. Please email and call your state senator and Sen. Del Marsh and Gov. Bentley and tell them briefly why your family wants common core replaced. Ask them to put SB101 on a fast track!

3. Call or email your House member and Speaker Hubbard. Tell them briefly why you oppose common core. Ask them to replace common core this legislative session.

Alabama’s children will be increasingly stifled, frustrated, and controlled if common core continues. We are on the wrong road and we need to turn around before we become hopelessly lost. We must stand for what works to give our children the tools they need to reach their fullest God-given, self-chosen potential. It is up to you.

Children are not for sale--leaders are using our state legislature like stock exchanges--selling to the highest bidder your child and America's future. Please thank and support those that are helping to pass SB101 and confront while praying for the souls of the others. Also Charter schools will be common core compliant in a couple of years if passed----wake up and don't sell out the children!! Even Presidential Candidates are getting it why not them?

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. 2 Tim 1:7

The Founders knew where power came from--get informed and act--inaction is not an option as it will result in you losing not just children but a country.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6

Remember these words in the Declaration of Independence (in the beginning and end of the matter--there's God.)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights...

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

"When schools experience chronic underachievement, the reasons are most often the social, emotional, and/or physiological problems of the child and his or her family situation," Dyer said. "The work of Dr. Adelman and Dr. Taylor faces this challenge straight on by bringing the theory of mental health issues to a practice that improves the learning conditions for all students."

According to Linda Murphy, a nationally renowned Educator/Activist, who has studied Dr. Bice's Comprehensive Counseling Guidance Proposal (as this is part of the Unified Supports)-- "This is a dangerous expansion of the authority of public schools into the private lives of students, which has never been allowed in American schools. This plan sets goals for changes in students’ emotions, feelings, attitudes, values and beliefs. The area educators call the "affective domain" (from Blooms Taxonomy)."

The Alabama State Plan "is an integral part of the preparation of all students to be college and career ready. It serves as a framework to guide school districts, individual schools, and individual counselors in designing, developing, implementing, and evaluating a comprehensive, developmental, and systematic counseling program."

1. It "should be used by all Alabama public schools for developing and implementing comprehensive, outcome-based school counseling and guidance programs that meet the needs of all students."

2. "All students will receive a data-driven counseling program that promotes academic achievement, career readiness, and personal/social development", which includes their "attitudes, character, values and beliefs."

3. It is "aligned with ASCA National Model and its revisions and includes four interrelated components: foundation, delivery system, management system, and accountability."

4. The "ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, and three revisions promulgate national school counseling standards."

5. It "helps students achieve their full potential through four program delivery components: School Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, Responsive Services, and Indirect Services."

6. "Comprehensive school counseling and guidance programs are data-driven by student needs and provide outcome-based accountability measures that align the school counseling and guidance program with the school’s overall academic mission."

Recent examples of one size-fits all mentality that is foundational to this nationalized education aka common core (which is invalid according to Professors Sandra Stotsky and Jim Milgram--see audio link to his and her interviews) was the story of the 5-yr old from Mobile, Al who did a suicide checklist and signed a safety contract without her parents. This, because she drew a picture of a gun and said pew pew with her crayons.

Mobile County school system Superintendent Martha Peek said the school counselor used the system-wide safety protocol that school system officials were instructed to use in any situation in which "a student indicates they may be considering any actions such as hurting themselves or hurting someone else," she said. "Unfortunately, with this incident, the one size fits all."

Another example is where schools in Dothan, Al gave out this suicide prevention flyer to all children from Elementary to 12th Grade."This introduces a concept about something very negative that can cause depression, fear and worry that is not necessary. In the effort to prevent these problems they are actualy creating problems with children that have no connection to that in their life"-per Linda Murphy.

It is ironic that Common Core Standards Initiative has been known to increase stress in children. In states like Alabama where the implementation is slower because there is a waiver for teacher's evaluation not to yet be based on student's test results, many teachers are still rallying behind it. However, many warnings of dangers are there, such as the signed statement from 500 Early Childhood and Mental Health Experts, Mary Calamia's testimony (she's a licensed clinical social worker who testified before New Yord's Board of Ed.), a NY teacher's testimony of the danger, Joan Landes--mental health therapist on the Psychological Damage of Common Core and video from child psychologist-Megan Koschnick.

The Comprehensive Counseling and Guidance State Model for Alabama Public Schools (the State Plan) presents a model that helps students prepare to be college- and career-ready in the areas of academic, career, and personal/social development. Counseling and guidance is an integral part of each school’s total educational program. The counseling and guidance program helps students achieve their full potential through four program delivery components: School Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, Responsive Services, and Indirect Services. This document, The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, and its revisions should be used by all Alabama public schools for developing and implementing comprehensive, outcome-based school counseling and guidance programs that meet the needs of all students.

Research for yourself and if you don't think Alabama needs to pass Dr. Bice's Comprehensive Counseling Guidance then please call your school board and let them know and while you're at it--call Governor Bentley (334) 242-7100 and send him a fax too at (334) 353-0004 (leave paper trail.)

There is so much to learn about the Common Core Standards Initiative and we hope you will make time to listen to Dr. Duke Pesta explain to you what's in store with this nationalized education system. Knowledge is powerful...come join us links to conferences here: http://www.standinthegapnow.com/

For too long, majority of parents have forgotten that the price of freedom is vigilance. A country that led the world in industrial advances, the land of so much opportunity, had what we thought as an excellent education system. We trusted that system for far too long. Unfortunately, we are now having to get informed rather quickly of how the education system has changed. Below are some points with links for you to consider whether or not it is time for you to Stand in the Gap and find out more. We hope you will as no one can defend your child better than you -- but without knowledge how can you?? Be sure to attend one of the Stand in the Gap Conferences On November 7-9th (7th In Mobile and 9th in Helena). Please check on www.StandintheGapNow.com

Hear interview with Professor Sandra Stotsky who was asked to be on Common Core's National Validation Committee but refused to validate them.

Hear interview with Linda Murphy, Oklahoma Educator, who helped get Oklahoma out of Common Core.

Tommy Bice's unified program statewide: "Alabama's schools are off to a good start. I am very optimistic. If Alabama's schools are half as effective as we think they will be, Alabama will influence many other states."

Starting with 10 school districts, Alabama's Unified and Comprehensive System of Learning Supports places emphasis on addressing all the factors that interfere with students' success at school. Additional Alabama school districts will be phased in over the coming years.

Linda Felton-Smith, director of the Office of Learning Support in Alabama's department of education. "It unifies and moves student supports away from reacting to problems and toward system development, with a strong emphasis on prevention and early intervention."

"This new direction will help advance Alabama's PLAN 2020, which outlines four priorities, including the learners, the support systems, the school systems and the professionals," said Tommy Bice, Alabama's state superintendent of education. "Each of these four components of the plan has to function together like an 'eco-system' so that we can meet our objectives of improving student growth and achievement, closing the achievement gap, increasing the graduation rate and increasing the number of students that are college- and career-ready. Student support is a vital part of that total system."

Thomas R. Bice, Ed.D.Secretary andExecutive OfficerGORDON PERSONS BUILDING • P.O. BOX 302101 •MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA 36130-2101 • TELEPHONE (334) 242-9700 • FAX (334) 242-9708 •WEB SITE: www.alsde.eduFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: CommunicationJuly 31, 2013 334-242-9950comm@alsde.eduALABAMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION MOVES TOWARD ACOMPREHENSIVE SYSTEM OF LEARNING SUPPORTSDepartment Releases New Learning Supports Design Plan and First Districts toParticipate in Roll-OutMontgomery, Ala. — As part of a steadfast commitment to ensure a world-classeducation for all students, the Alabama State Department of Education is releasing aComprehensive System of Learning Supports design document and district roll-out plan.ALSDE officials, area superintendents and representatives from Scholastic will discuss thenew design at 9:30 a.m., Aug. 2, 2013, in Room P104 of the Gordon Persons Building, 50N. Ripley St., Montgomery, AL.“We are so optimistic about the power of this new design that builds on previous efforts toaddress the barriers to learning and teaching and re-engaging disconnected students,” saidDr. Linda Felton-Smith, Director, Office of Learning Support. “It unifies and movesstudent supports away from reacting to problems toward system development with a strongemphasis on prevention and early intervention.”The intent is to fully integrate the learning support system as a primary component of ourschool improvement policy and practice and focus on:• Reframing current student/learning supports programs.• Re-deploying resources.• Developing in-classroom and school-wide approaches, including learningsupports found effective in the state’s high-poverty/high-achieving schools.• Developing the capacity to implement learning supports through leadershiptraining.• Revamping infrastructures at the school, district, and state levels.• Developing and implementing accountability indicators directly related to thelearning support system and fully integrating them into school improvementaccountability.-moreTendistricts including Bessemer City, Chickasaw City, Etowah County, Butler County, Decatur City, Perry County, Calhoun County, Dothan City, Shelby County, and Lauderdale County will implement the design starting this fall. Other districts will be phased in over the coming years.“This new direction will help advance Alabama’s PLAN 2020, which outlines four priorities, including the learners, the support systems, the school systems, and the professionals,” explains Dr. Tommy Bice, State Superintendent of Education. “Each of these four components of the plan has to function together like an ‘eco-system’ so that we can meet our objectives of improving student growth and achievement, closing the achievement gap, increasing the graduation rate, and increasing the number of students that are college- and career-ready. Student support is a vital part of that total system.”Our work in Alabama to design and implement this exciting body of work is being supported by Scholastic Consultant Dr. Rhonda Neal-Waltman, former Assistant Superintendent with Mobile County Schools, and Drs. Howard Adelman and Linda Taylor from the UCLA Center for Mental Health.The news conference will be available for LIVE viewing on the Alabama State Department of Education’s Ustream Channel at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/alabama-depart:ment-of-education. After the meeting, the archived video is available on the site. If you have comments or questions, please call Communications at 334-242-9950 or send an e-mail to comm@alsde.edu.###

Look at what you're hearing throughout the state and throughout the country and decide for yourself--can you afford to look the other way?

Hosea 4:6King James Version (KJV)

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

In an 8-4 decision on 9-19-2014, the Texas SBOE rejected the highly controversial or should we say highly unpatriotic Advance Placement US History (APUSH). In today's world where most SBOE does the wrong thing, the Texas Board of Ed did their state proud. Of course it took a lot of work from determined individuals like Alice Linahan and Rebecca Forest of Women on the Wall along with stand up state board members such as Ken Mercer and many more wonderful freedom-loving parents, teachers etc. (including Luca Bocci of Tea Party Italia who took the time to appear before board hearing-read his thoughts here).

Rebecca Forest had talked Linahan to have a counter conference against Arne Duncan and his National PTA Convention and out of that was the realization from guest Jane Robbins and APUSH educator Larry Krieger of the new APUSH framework. The new president of the College Board is the well known author of Common Core, David Coleman and the APUSH framework had become a promotion of anti-American sentiments (as can be seen also in the Common Core.) Dean Kalahar's article is one of the best expose on the mindset of Common Core's authors (a must read).

“For today’s patriots, this is our Valley Forge and our D-Day - this is the Revolution of 2014!”

Indeed, the audacity of leaving out almost every Founding Father, our WWII heroes-the"Greatest Generation", Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and many other heroes (hear detailed interview from Larry Krieger) was too much for many to take. I remember hearing the words of one whose uncle never came back from Normandy, one of many who never experienced coming home and marrying his sweetheart and becoming a proud father. Stories about Founders who when they signed The Declaration of Independence knew they were signing away their lives as they would be hunted down and many of their families sacrificed. Proudly today, we can say that one state stood tall against the onslaught to remove the memories of America's heroes from the minds of her children. It is a stand that hopefully will be made across the land as freedom-loving states, whose citizen's hearts still remembers that their ability to live in this "Land of the Free", means they have to be the "Brave" (thank God too for Merril Hope). Thank God for Brave Texans! From one proud simple American to others...here's hoping we can find it within to stand and with help from the One from whom all blessings flow, find the strength to "keep on" and remember true history. May God bless America.

Model Notification of Rights Under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)

PPRA affords parents certain rights regarding our conduct of surveys, collection and use of information for marketing purposes, and certain physical exams. These include the right to:

Consent before students are required to submit to a survey that concerns one or more of the following protected areas ("protected information survey") if the survey is funded in whole or in part by a program of the U.S. Department of Education (ED)-

Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student's parent;

Mental or psychological problems of the student or student's family;

Sex behavior or attitudes;

Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, or demeaning behavior;

Critical appraisals of others with whom respondents have close family relationships;

Legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors, or ministers;

Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents; or

Income, other than as required by law to determine program eligibility.

Receive notice and an opportunity to opt a student out of -

Any other protected information survey, regardless of funding;

Any non-emergency, invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance, administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law; and

Activities involving collection, disclosure, or use of personal information obtained from students for marketing or to sell or otherwise distribute the information to others.

Inspect, upon request and before administration or use -

Protected information surveys of students;

Instruments used to collect personal information from students for any of the above marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes; and

Instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum.

These rights transfer to from the parents to a student who is 18 years old or an emancipated minor under State law.

[School District will/has develop[ed] and adopt[ed]] policies, in consultation with parents, regarding these rights, as well as arrangements to protect student privacy in the administration of protected information surveys and the collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales, or other distribution purposes. [School District] will directly notify parents of these policies at least annually at the start of each school year and after any substantive changes. [School District] will also directly notify, such as through U.S. Mail or email, parents of students who are scheduled to participate in the specific activities or surveys noted below and will provide an opportunity for the parent to opt his or her child out of participation of the specific activity or survey. [School District] will make this notification to parents at the beginning of the school year if the District has identified the specific or approximate dates of the activities or surveys at that time. For surveys and activities scheduled after the school year starts, parents will be provided reasonable notification of the planned activities and surveys listed below and be provided an opportunity to opt their child out of such activities and surveys. Parents will also be provided an opportunity to review any pertinent surveys. Following is a list of the specific activities and surveys covered under this requirement:

Collection, disclosure, or use of personal information for marketing, sales or other distribution.

Administration of any protected information survey not funded in whole or in part by ED.

Any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening as described above.

Parents who believe their rights have been violated may file a complaint with: